How Do I Become a Delivery Contractor?

There is no definitive career path to become a delivery contractor, though there are some general requirements you will have to meet. Delivery contractors need to have an appropriate commercial driver's license (CDL), the specifics of which can vary depending on the country and the type of vehicle. You may also need to own your own vehicle before you can become a delivery contractor, though that is a requirement imposed by individual companies. Each company also has its own regulations regarding accidents, criminal and drug history, and various other criteria. You will typically also usually need to drive as an employee to obtain experience before a company will take you on a contractor.

If you want to become a delivery contractor, you will probably need to meet a few requirements and obtain some work experience. The first step is to earn a commercial driver's license, which is necessary before you can haul cargo as either an employee or a contractor. Commercial driver's license regulations vary from one country to another, and there are often different levels that indicate the types of vehicles you are qualified to operate. Even if you want to drive a simple cargo van after you become a delivery contractor, you will still need to obtain a CDL. If you think you might want to drive large semi-trailers you will need to obtain the appropriate CDL, which will also allow you to drive smaller vehicles.

After you earn a commercial driver's license, you will usually need to gain some experience as an employee driver. At this point you should try to obtain experience with the same types of trucks and routes you will want to have as a delivery contractor. You may want to try and obtain over-the-road (OTR) experience if you want to do that type of driving as a contractor, and should not settle for driving a cargo van if you want to operate a tractor trailer after you become a delivery contractor.

Each delivery business has its own hiring policies, so you will need to check into the companies that you find interesting. You will typically have trouble finding work as a delivery contractor if you have certain criminal convictions, an extensive record of vehicular accidents, or cannot pass a drug test. If you have any of these sorts of events on your record, you may have to wait a number of months, or even years, before some companies will consider hiring you as a delivery contractor. Other companies have less restrictive hiring policies in regards to factors such as work experience and driving record, so it is important to follow up with each potential employer.